Replying to LO26011
Hi Nancy,
you said
>I chuckle at your posting. I worked for a hospital system once that was
>going through massive TQM training (a total waste of time and money as it
>turned out). Anyway, the leadership was required to read Senge's Fifth
>Discipline. Immediately, the Administrator started greeting all new
>employees by telling them that "we are a learning organization." He had
>no idea what that meant and we were the furthest thing FROM a learning
>org. you will ever find.
>My assumption is that many leaders view their orgs that way but truly
>have no idea what it means. Most of them couldn't even plow through the
>Fifth Discipline. I actually had to do a cliff notes version for my
>leaders. Oh well. Good luck.
I've experience this behaviour for 15 years with my present organisation.
I am a member of the Auckland branch of ISPI and gather from fellow
members that the behaviour is commonplace in so many of our business
organisations. Nevertheless I strive in my dual role to ensure we keep
our ISO accreditation, and to convince our managers (rather than leaders)
that continued learning is essential to the business and is life long.
I know each organisation is unique but I'm sure there are enough
commonalities between them regardless of the country/culture, type/class,
ethnicity (apples with apples) etc to measure the effectiveness of
management according to the degree to which they adhere to the doctrines
such as TQM, Learning Organisations, Taylorism etc. Or are we forever
destined to have our attention steered toward the latest, or regurgitated
doctrine while our management have their way with us?
I continue to be amazed by managers who speak the language like you say
Nancy, fully aware of their dishonest attempt to convince their people
(us) that this time this is the one that will secure the future for the
organisation. And yet many appear to continue up the corporate ladder.
Perhaps this is why the business organisation as we know it struggles
tiresomely to satisfy the needs of todays society.
There must be a better way?
Regards,
Dennis.
--"Dennis Rolleston" <dennisr@ps.gen.nz>
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